Border Roads

India shares over 15,000 kms of land border with its neighbours, the longest with Bangladesh at 4,096.7 kms and the shortest with Afghanistan at just 106 kilometres. Over 40 Indian districts in 14 states border Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, and almost all of these border areas feature unique interconnecting roads. Some pass through national parks, others overlook amusement parks, some are separated by rivers and others are simply long empty roads with border checkpoints. This post will explore some of the most intriguing examples of these roads, each with its own fascinating story. 

While the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) connects Afghanistan and Bangladesh, it's not the only significant road in this region. This post will focus on lesser-known roads. We'll also exclude popular routes like the Attari-Wagah border road and the Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur connection, as they're well-documented and widely known. 

Mangla Cantonment (Jammu & Kashmir - Pakistan) 

The concept of cantonment is colonial, and while the British established several across the subcontinent, one was built post-independence in Pakistan's Jhelum district of Punjab. Bordering India's Mirpur district (or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir if you prefer), it was constructed in the early 1960s during the Mangla Dam Project (1961-1967). On the Pakistani side, the Mangla Dam Bridge spans the Jhelum River, while the Indian side features the Mirpur Road, passing by a small mosque and the historic 19th-century Mangla Fort, a significant garrison during the 1947-48 First Kashmir War. 

Munabao-Khokrapar (Rajasthan - Pakistan) 

In Rajasthan's Barmer district, Munabao connects Khokrapar village in Sindh, Pakistan. This route was crucial for thousands of refugees crossing the border during partition. Just at the border lies the abandoned Khokrapar railway station (known as Zero Point Khokropar), which reopened in 2006 after four decades of being a ghost town. Its desolate setting in the middle of a desert, surrounded by spine-chilling horror stories, makes it a perfect location for such tales. 

Tribhuvan Rajpath (Bihar - Nepal) 

In Makwanpurgadhi, a municipality less than 100 kms south of Kathmandu, a significant battle occurred on 20th January 1763. The Gorkhas, led by Prithvi Narayan Singh, clashed with the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim, to reclaim Kathmandu, which Singh had isolated. While the Gorkhas ultimately emerged victorious, another crucial battle took place in the same village between 1814 and 1816. This battle led to the secession of substantial portions of the Nepali kingdom into British India. Makwanpurgadhi, part of the larger Makwanpur district, lies along the Tribhuvan Rajpath. This path extends southwards to Chitragupt Nagar and crosses the Nepali border into Bihar at Raxaul (in Purvi Champaran district). Raxaul also connects to Sugauli, another historically significant location. Upon entering Nepal from Raxaul, travellers pass through Shankaracharya Pravesh Dwar, cross the Sirsiya Bridge, and encounter a small Rajdandi Hanuman temple near the border. 

Ratna Rajmarg (Uttar Pradesh - Nepal) 

During the 1857 rebellion, with the help of Nepali king Jung Bahadur Rana, the British successfully fanned the sieges at Lucknow and Cawnpore (Kanpur). In return, they annexed four districts of the United Provinces to Nepal. The 9,000 Nepali forces marched down this route into Bahraich district, through Jaisapur-Nepalganj-Raupaidiha villages, crushing Indian forces at the Lucknow mutiny on 30th April 1857. This road gained renewed attention in 1942 during the Quit India movement, providing escape for Indian revolutionaries from British arrest. Today, at this border lies Seemant Inter College, technically in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. 

Jaigaon-Phuentsholing Road (West Bengal - Bhutan) 

This route became a significant point during the 19th-century conflict between Bhutanese and English forces. The East India Company, seeking to expand into the Duars, clashed with Bhutanese troops in Phuentsholing along this path during the 1864-65 Duar Wars. These wars led to the secession of Assam and Bengal Duars, now districts from Kalimpong in West Bengal to Udalguri in Assam. Today, the border area boasts a chain of restaurants and hotel accommodations on both sides. While there's a Shri Hanuman Mandir Dharamshala in Jaigaon, West Bengal, there's also a Zangtopelri Lhakhang monastery in Phuentsholing. 

Zokhawtar - Rih Dil (Mizoram - Myanmar) 

This road became a focal point during the 19th-century conflict between Mizoram and Myanmar. The British, aiming to expand their influence, engaged in battles with the Myanmar forces in Zokhawtar. These conflicts contributed to the eventual division of the region. Today, the border area is home to a variety of restaurants and hotels. While there's a Shri Hanuman Mandir Dharamshala in Zokhawtar, Mizoram, there's also a Zangtopelri Lhakhang monastery in Rih Dil, Myanmar. 

Near the border between Khawmawi village in Chin province, Myanmar and Zokhawtar village in Champhai district, Mizoram lies a significant site for Mizo culture. Located about two kilometres from the border checkpoint, along the Yoma Lamon Road, is Rih Dil lake, a revered pilgrimage destination for the Mizo people. Mizo folklore tells of Rihi, a woman who sacrificed herself for her sister, transforming into a lake. This event became deeply ingrained in Mizo cultural heritage. Prior to Burma's separation into a separate colony in 1937, Mizos had access to this site. However, this access was recently re-evaluated, leading to a breakthrough in 2004. This allowed Mizo people to visit the lake for 72 hours without a visa.

Stilwell Road (historically also known as the Ledo Road) - Namgoi Village III, Changlang to Pangasu (Arunachal Pradesh - Myanmar)

Nestled amidst the lush greenery of the Patkai Hills, a part of the expansive Arakan Yoma mountain range, lies the historic Stilwell Road. This road, once known as Ledo Road, served as a vital link between the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh and Pangasu village in Myanmar. Its significance during World War II was immense, as it was constructed to connect India with China through Burma. Following the Japanese capture of Rangoon in May 1942 and the subsequent occupation of Burma, the road was built to circumvent the Japanese blockade. Named after US Army Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell, the road saw the efforts of 15,000 American engineers and 30,000 Indian and Chinese workers. It connected Lashio in Burma to Kunming in China. Today, the road remains operational only up to the Indian frontier, with discussions underway to extend its reach into Myanmar. A bustling market straddling the border, open thrice a month, serves as a hub for trade. It also hosts the Pangsau Pass Winter Festival, a key event in the region's border trade activities, where Indian and Burmese traders showcase their goods to local communities.

The border villages of India and Bangladesh bear witness to two horrific events in the 20th century: the 1947 partition and the 1971 war. Districts in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram have border roads that have experienced these tragedies. While listing all of them isn't feasible here, some notable ones include: 

Check Post Road, Hili village (West Bengal - Bangladesh) 

Before partition, Dinajpur, almost the size of Jamaica, bordered Jalpaiguri in the north, Malda, Rajshahi and Bogra in the south, Rangpur in the east and Purnea in the west. After partition, Dinajpur was further divided (alongside Malda and other districts) and the western part became part of India. Another division occurred in 1992, creating Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur. However, as districts were divided, so did a small village called Hili. Divided between the two nations, the Check Post Road runs along the border, connecting villages in West Bengal (Basudebpur, Aptair and Ujli) with Hakimpur and Muharapara in Bangladesh's Dinajpur district of Rangpur province. On Google Maps, you'll find a Hili Bazar and Hili Market, both serving the same purpose but on opposite sides of the border. The most striking feature of this border village is its railway station, whose boundary wall overlooks India while itself being right on the border. During the 1971 war, both the village and the railway station played a role. It became a refuge for refugees during the Battle of Hilli, one of the longest conventional battles on the eastern front of the war (between 22nd November and 11th December 1971). 

Amusement parks at the border 

Politics can be strange and sometimes humourous even amidst geopolitical tensions. While India and Bangladesh have long been at odds over border issues like illegal migration and micro-enclaves, two amusement parks right on the border offer a bit of levity. One, Baniland Ecological Amusement Park, is located on Longai Road in Karimganj, Assam, just 6.5 kilometres from the Bangladesh border. Standing on a small hill within the park, visitors can easily see Bangladesh's Zakiganj town. Another amusement park, Dreamland Amusement Park, is situated along the Fulbari-Ghoshpukur Canal Road, parallel to the Fulbari-Ghoshpukur Bypass, on the Mahananda River in Dwarabaksa town of Darjeeling district. Dwarabaksa borders Rajiv Nagar, which in turn borders Banglabandha town in northern Bangladesh. The amusement park is roughly 6 kilometres from the Banglabandha Zero Point on the N5-AH2 road, which cuts through the border between the two countries. While the exact reason for these amusement parks is unclear, they provide a glimmer of happiness in a tense environment and potentially facilitate illegal migration, which is rampant along these borderlines. Regardless of the truth, this delightful irony in politics makes humans an intriguing species. 

Below are some of the selected names on hand-made maps. All sources of the maps are from Google Maps and mapsofindia.com.